Gallon Environment Letter – the daily edition – a policy letter from the Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment

Office workers may be exposed to polyfluorinated chemicals

A recent report in Environmental Science & Technology, a peer reviewed journal, suggests that office workers may be exposed to enhanced levels of polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFCs are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals. Both PFOA and PFOS are associated with increased risk of kidney disease in humans. The new study, from researchers at the Boston School of Public Health, Duke University, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Environment Canada, shows that, in many of the sampled office situations, levels of polyfluorinated compounds in the blood of workers correlate with levels of the same compounds in the air. The authors suggest that potential sources include carpeting, furniture, and/or paint.